


Do I know you?

by Lighthouse_on_the_sea



Series: Once and future husbands [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Child Arthur, Child Merlin, First Meetings, Fluff, Growing Up, M/M, No suffering just fluff, except for Sir Leon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:20:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26662078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lighthouse_on_the_sea/pseuds/Lighthouse_on_the_sea
Summary: What if Merlin and Arthur had met before, of the scene we all know?When Merlin didn't have to hide, and Arthur hadn't yet been so tainted by his father's hatred of magic?A fluff story, with child Merlin and Arthur and a very young (but already suffering) Sir Leon.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Once and future husbands [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1502189
Comments: 3
Kudos: 157





	Do I know you?

* * *

The black haired child stretched out a pale little hand towards the small fire that was burning next to him “ _Hors, beride tha heofinan_ ” he said and a cloud of white smoke rose taking the shape of a galloping horse.

Suddenly the cracking sound of dry leaves, followed by a cry, distracted the little warlock from his pastime “Yes! It was about time” he exclaimed, running towards the source of the noise, but instead of a big fat rabbit, he found himself in front of a blond-haired child, who was swinging in the void with the rope of his trap wrapped around the ankle “I would like to know who is the idiot who has placed a rabbit trap in the middle of the path!” the blond child said grumpily.

“Damn! It's not a rabbit, it's just a stupid donkey!” said the warlock, crossing his arms; Arthur widened his eyes “What did you call me !?”

“A donkey, because only a donkey can’t see a rabbit trap as badly concealed as mine” said the raven haired child, untying the rope with a gesture of his hand and making the blond boy fall to the ground butt first.

As soon as he was recovered, he pulled out the small sword he was carrying tied to his side and began to chase the sorcerer who, after dodging the first blows, disappeared into thin air

“Where are you!?”

“Hey, come on, that's enough, you've had your fun, my friend and I’m too tired to keep dodging your strokes” said the little warlock, reappearing on a tree and letting his feet dangle in the void.

“Do I know you?”

“Er, I'm Merlin” the warlock said, landing clumsily on the ground “So I don't know you” replied the blond child.

Merlin shook his head “Yet you called me "friend."

“That was my mistake” replied Merlin walking away “Aw, don't run away!” the blond child mocked him “From you? Never” Merlin moved his hand and a series of water droplets rose from the nearby stream, floated in the air and crashed on the nose of the other child.

“How did you do that!?” asked the blond child amazed “With magic” 

“Magic is bad!” 

“It's not true! Who told you this?”

“My father” answered the blond child, Merlin seated on the ground “Magic is neither good nor bad, it is whoever uses it to decide its purpose… Let me show you”.

Merlin closed his hands, whispered something inside and when he opened them again, a flock of butterflies came out, flying around the blond child and landing on his hair to form a small circlet

“Wow, It was beautiful! And they are real too!”.

Suddenly a voice rose from inside the wood “Prince Arthur! Prince Arthur! Where are you!”

"Damn! He found me!” exclaimed the blond child hiding behind a tree “Wait, you are Prince Arthur?” 

“Now I don't have time to explain, quick! Hide! >> said the prince pushing the warlock towards a bush just in time “Here you are!” said a knight, emerging from the woods.

Merlin looked at him, he was very young, about twenty-one years old, with a kind smile and curly reddish hair “He surely have been recently appointed” thought the warlock, laughing at the annoyed look that the knight reserved for the little prince, once he arrived in the clearing.

“Leon, I was just playing with some butterflies” replied Arthur trying to look as innocent as possible

“Yes, but it’s time for you to go back to the palace. I would not want the King to get mad at me like last time, it took me days to recover from punitive training” complained knight, Arthur laughed "You know I could tell my father that you complained about his order and spoke ill of him ... This could be considered treason Sir Leon” teased the child “I wouldn't do it brat, if the king gave you another knight as a guard, do you think you could escape and play freely like you do now?” the blond child paused for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtful “I am happy that you are my guard Leon”

“Cheeky brat” laughed the knight, taking Arthur by the hand and heading towards the castle.

Arthur followed Leon to the edge of the clearing, then turned to wave at Merlin, still hidden behind the bush “"Who are you waving at?” Asked the knight "A friend"

"Aren't you too old to still have an imaginary friend?"

“Shut up Leon"

Over the next six years, the two continued to meet in the clearing whenever Arthur managed to escape from Leon's watchful guard, they became best friends and promising each other that their ritual would never end.

But as often happens, things never stay as they are for too long.

Growing up, the young warlock had acquired new powers and struggled to control them so Hunit, his mother, had found him a teacher in a druid village.

Upon learning of his imminent departure, Merlin asked his mother if it was possible for him to wait until Arthur's 16th birthday to give his friend the news in person.

It was early morning in Camelot, Arthur was sleeping peacefully in his bed, already savoring all the delicacies and gifts that would await him when he woke up to celebrate his birthday.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew opened his window, knocking it against the back wall.

The prince growled annoyed pulling up the blankets to protect himself from the cold winter air, when something heavy landed on his stomach “Oh well… I still have to improve the landing” someone murmured and Arthur opened his eyes startled, letting out a not so masculine scream.

Merlin covered Arthur's mouth with both hands “Mwrln?”

“Yes, it’s me… and if you keep screaming like a startled princess, they'll find me for sure, you ass! Are you calmer now?” Arthur nodded “What are you doing here? You know it's dangerous for you to be in Camelot! Furthermore, you appeared using magic!”

“I'm sorry, but I had to see you.

In a few hours I will leave for a druid village to start learning how to use my powers and I wanted to give you your present” said the warlock, handing a package to the prince.

Arthur tore the brown paper reveling a wrought iron medal “Look” Merlin said taking it in his hand, his eyes became golden and the medal broke perfectly in half “Here, this is yours and this is mine.

We are two sides of the same coin, I don't know when I will be back, but I want you to know that I will never forget you, wait for me ok?

You are my best friend, never doubt or forget it” Merlin said, looking at Arthur straight in the eyes “Merlin…” Arthur began to say with broken voice “Shhh Today it's your day and I want you to be happy” Merlin said wiping the tears from the prince's cheeks with his thumbs “Goodbye Arthur”

that said, the warlock kissed Arthur and disappeared in a gust of wind, without leaving the other the time to say goodbye.

After that day Arthur went several times to the small clearing hoping to see Merlin seated on his usual stone, with his bright smile and gentle eyes, but there was no trace of his friend.

The months passed, then the years.

The feeling of abandonment became stronger and heavier in Arthur’s heart and he lost all the hopes to see Merlin again.

Arthur had now turned 25 and with difficulty he had managed to forget Merlin, now he was living his life as a crown prince doing what his father expected of him.

Everything seemed to be going well when, on a particularly sunny morning, a raven man made his entrance to Camelot.

The prince was torturing his new servant (the fact that he was lanky, with curly black hair and blue eyes was just a coincidence and Arthur dared everyone to fight him) by making him run from one side of the square to the other, with a heavy wooden shield on his back.

Suddenly the servant tripped and the shield fell to the ground, rolling towards the newcomer who stopped it with his foot.

"Hey, come on, that's enough, you've had your fun, my friend" Arthur looked at the newcomer “Do I know you?” he asked, that face seemed so damn familiar to him and looking at it caused such a nuisance in the pit of his stomach, like something that had remained buried but was now about to resurface.

The newcomer smiled shaking his head and lifted a cord from which hung an iron medal, perfect half of the one Arthur wore around his neck

“M-Merlin, is that you? I thought I'd lost you! Haha!" exlaimed Arthur, planting his daggers on the ground and running to hug his friend "I missed you too, clotpole" replied the other returning the hug, and finally, after a long time Arthur felt complete again.


End file.
